Virtually all horses have a mane of hair which is formed along the top surface of the horse's neck. This mane of hair is quite prominent in some types of horses and less prominent in other types of horses. The mane of hair is generally a very coarse hair which extends upwardly from the neck of the horse. If the horse's mane is left untended, the mane of hair will generally have a rather unruly appearance. The hair may extend outwardly at awkward angles and may be of uneven length.
There are many events in which the horse's appearance is of a great deal of significance. Particularly, show horse events require that the horse have an excellent appearance and have good grooming. The horse's appearance can also have some significance in some equestrian events and some racing events. In order to properly groom the horse, the horse's mane must be clean, trimmed, and otherwise tended to.
Many owners of show horses consider it desirable to "band" the mane of the horse. The procedure of banding the horse's mane is similar, in concept, to the formation of braids of hair or children.varies.s pigtails. Typically, sections of the horse's mane are tied together or braided together. This can be a very time consuming process. Often, it is difficult to achieve proper uniformity in the banding of the horse's mane. Depending on the accuracy of the person carrying out the banding, the clumps of hair may be generally uneven.
The procedure for the banding of a horse's mane is made even more complicated by the fact that the horse can become impatient and will move around. This makes it difficult to take the necessary steps so as to make sure that the mane is banded in a proper manner.
One product that has appeared on the market has been used for the banding of horse hair. This product is known as a "PERFECT BAND (.TM.)". The product is presently sold by Perfect Band, Inc. of Townsend, Mass. This device utilizes a tubular member having a slot extending longitudinally through the tubular member. A handle is formed on the tubular member so as to allow the user to properly maintain the member in a proper position. The hair of the horse is placed through the slot formed in the tube. Bands may then be applied to the hair extending outwardly from the other end of the slot. This device utilizes a tough latex band that requires no twisting and lays flat against the base of the mane. In normal use, this is a complicated procedure which makes it difficult to quickly band the mane of the horse. Another product which is on the market is a horse hair banding comb that is presently being sold by Northcutt Enterprises of Crockett, Tex. This product is the subject of U.S. patent Application Ser. No. 08/005,133, filed on Jan. 15, 1993, to the present inventor, and entitled "Horse Hair Banding Comb". This product is a banding comb having a comb member with a plurality of teeth and a plurality of receptacles formed therein. A locking member is removably affixed to the comb member. The locking member extends over the teeth. The locking member has an edge positioned in proximity to the receptacle area. The receptacle area allows horse hair to pass therethrough. The comb member is made up of a body, a first tooth having a V-shaped configuration and extending downwardly from the body, a second tooth having a V-shaped configuration and extending downwardly from the body, and a first receptacle area formed in the body between the first and second teeth. The locking member includes a first bar and a second bar in generally parallel spaced relationship. The comb member is positioned within this spaced area between the first and second bars. The use of the "BAND-IT (.TM.)" comb allows the horse hair to be properly organized into equal sized groupings of hair. Once the hair is organized in this fashion, a rubber band is placed around the hair which extends outwardly of the comb. The rubber band can then be twisted so as to group the hair in a neatly organized fashion.
One of the problems with the "BAND-IT (.TM.)" comb is the fact that it still requires that the user place the rubber band in a proper position around the clumps of hair. Often, the manipulation of the rubber band is quite a complicated process. This is especially true where the horse is moving his head around during the banding process. Many people find that the affixing of the rubber band in a proper position around the clumps of hair is an extremely time consuming process. As a result, a need has developed which allows the user to apply the rubber band in an expeditious manner.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a banding device that expedites the process of banding a horse's hair.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a banding device that allows the user to place a rubber band in a proper position around grouped portions of horse hair.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a banding device that is relatively inexpensive, easy to manufacture, and easy to use.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a reading of the attached specification and appended claims.